


Second Efforts

by tennantmeister



Series: FiVerse [2]
Category: Blackpool, Doctor Who
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Crossover, F/M, Pete's World, Teninch Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 11:55:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2467439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tennantmeister/pseuds/tennantmeister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Tyler and Peter Carlisle have promised each other <i>forever</i> but can their love endure the challenges ahead? *** this story has a soundtrack <a href="http://8tracks.com/tennantmeister/fi2-the-musical-fanfic-inspired">Fi2: The Musical</a> ***</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Rose shot up in bed, startled awake, and twisted her neck to see the clock. The blue light of the digital numbers blinked mockingly at her. _Bloody hell!_ , she thought as she tossed the duvet aside and hurriedly crossed the room to find her mobile. They were late. 

"Peter! The alarm didn't go off," she yelled. "Peter, wake up, we're late for work!" Rose rushed to use the loo and splash water on her face and exited the ensuite to find Peter unmoved. "PETER, WAKE UP," she shouted and threw a pair of balled up socks at him, bouncing them off of his tousled head. 

"Ugh, wha' are ye on about, wee hen?" he grumbled, never opening his eyes. 

"The electricity must've blinked or somethin' the clock reset, the alarm didn't go off, and we shoulda been at work a quarter of an hour ago," she replied as she quickly dressed and stepped back into the ensuite to clean her teeth. 

Peter made no effort to get out of bed, pulling the duvet over his head completely and going back to sleep instead. They had spent the previous night in celebration at the pub. The alcohol drenched party was in honour of Martha's residency at the hospital, but soon turned into an engagement do when Mickey popped the question there amongst all of their best mates. 

Peter and Rose had their own cause for celebration, as it had been exactly six months since she had confessed her true feelings for him. That being the moment their status had gone from _it's complicated_ to _in a relationship_ , the couple had privately drank a toast to "forever" and spent the rest of the night congratulating their newly engaged friends. 

Rose bounced up and down on the edge of the bed, next to where Peter was sleeping, as she slipped her feet into her trainers and pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail. "You're hungover, yeah? I told you to stop after the fourth pint, I did. But what did you say, huh?"

"I said," his arm flew out from beneath the duvet to wrap around her waist and hold her still, "I dinna get hungover!" 

Rose, suddenly restrained from bouncing by Peter's arm locked around her, pulled the duvet down to reveal his mess of brown hair and kissed the side of his head. 

"You're hungover, Peter, 's okay to admit it," she said, grinning at the sight of his scruffy face. 

"I'm nae hungover." He peered at her with one eye barely open, squinting at the sliver of sunlight thrown across his face. "I'm just _tired_."

"Right," she said and ruffled his hair, eliciting a wince of pain. "Bit of a headache, yeah?"

"I told ye I'm a Carlisle of Glasgow," he grumped. "We might get blootered, but we dinna get hangovers."

"I think someone put an extra dose of "Grumpy Scotsman" in your drink last night 'cos I didn't understand a single word of that," she giggled. 

"Och aye, lass. I'll put a mighty dose of a grumpy Scotsman between yer thighs just the noo if yer no careful with yer words, ye ken," he mumbled back, his brogue intentionally thicker, making Rose laugh. 

"You're a wicked man, but I love you." Rose pulled the duvet back, exposing him to the cool air moving through their flat. "You need to get up, Mickey's called off today, remember? I've gotta get to the hub right away." She smoothed his hair away to place a kiss on his forehead. "You want somethin' for your head, love?"

"Aye, I'll get it." He slowly moved to an upright position, sitting next to her on the bed, and rested his head on her shoulder. "Ye go ahead without me. I'm fine," he said and kissed her cheek. "I'll take something for my loupin heid and be along soon, aye?"

"Okay." She kissed his lips and stood to leave. "Take a shower, yeah? You smell like Guinness," she said, flashing her tongue touched smile at him before leaving the flat. 

oOo

The weather was dreary as Rose hurried along the pavement to work. The skies were overcast and gloomy, the remnants of the heavy rains that had fallen throughout the night. The downpour had dwindled down to a fair mist against her face, the occasional muffled thunder rolling in the distance as the storm moved on. 

Rose stared at the pavement just ahead of her, held tilted down away from the barely falling rain, as she made her way to the hub. Her mind was still full of images from the previous night. It had been such a lovely time, everyone laughing and dancing in the pub while outside the storm winds howled through the streets. None of them seemed to be bothered, so filled with euphoria and alcohol. Nor were they fazed when they finally left the pub, forced to run through the rain coming down in sheets before reaching their respective flats. 

Rose shivered at the memory of stepping through the door, Peter at her heels, and the cool air in their foyer sending chills through their drenched bodies. They began quickly peeling away their soaking wet clothes, both hurrying to their bedroom to seek warmth beneath their dry bed clothes. Drawn to each other like magnets, they snuggled their naked forms together as they both giggled between chattering teeth. Their bodies each so accustomed to the other, somehow through drunken giggles and fumbling hands, managed to join together in their own perfect way. For several moments their minds sobered, as Peter and Rose ended the night's celebration intimately linked in each other's arms. 

The splash of water, covering her trainers and spattering across her shins as she stomped through a large puddle, brought Rose back to the present. Even being late for work and having wet socks couldn't dampen her happiness. She thought again of how Mickey was so obviously smitten with Martha Jones. Rose had never seen Mickey so content in all his life. He and Martha were made for each other and Rose could not be more happy for her dearest and closest friend. Her heart swelled and she smiled to herself. She and Mickey were both living fantastic lives, the Doctor would have been so pleased. 

At the thought of the Doctor, she clearly saw his blue eyes and big grin in her mind's eye. Her first Doctor, all brooding and fierce, yet absolutely brilliant. She missed him sometimes. He had been gone for so long now, but living in Pete's World, she was reminded of him every time she looked up to see a zeppelin floating above. Visions of WWII London began to fill her mind as she walked through the fog beginning to drape the city of Cardiff. 

The echoes of thunder began to rumble in the background of the familiar sounds of the daily hustle and bustle. The misting rain had completely stopped and Rose looked up, searching for a floating zeppelin that she knew wasn't there. Not in this weather, all zeppelin transportation would be on a delay due to the electricity that had been cracking the sky all night and morning. 

As her eyes scanned the grey clouds, a bright flash of lightening pierced the gloom. Rose nearly lost her balance as the booming sound gave her a fright. 

"Bloody hell!" She placed her hand on her chest, covering her now racing heart, and quickened her steps. 

That's when it happened. Time swirled around, spinning violently for just a tiny second - a millisecond - but she felt it. Then she heard _it_. The wheezing cry of the TARDIS filled her unbelieving ears.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Sparky and Amanda for their beta work on this chapter. And as always, thanks to everyone for reading and commenting! I'm not quite sure how soon the next update will happen so please bear with me on this WIP!

Rose blinked her eyes against the wind blowing in her face. The familiar blue box, the one she once called her home, was materializing before her eyes. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she might still be a little drunk from last night. No... there was definitely a TARDIS settled on the pavement a mere twenty paces from where she stood. 

Her feet were nailed to the ground, she couldn't move even though every cell in her body was screaming for her to run to the TARDIS. To fling the door open and run across the grate to the jump seat and plop herself down, glad to be back where she belonged. But her feet wouldn't allow it. They knew she was already standing where she was destined to be, her life on the TARDIS existed only in fond memories now. 

As she stood staring, she realized it was a bit different. Was is bluer? There was just something a little strange about its appearance, she thought, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Suddenly, the door flung open wide, as if inviting her inside. 

Rose then managed a few tiny steps, inching close enough to afford herself a clear view inside the time ship. It was indeed different. The inside of the TARDIS was nothing at all like the one she once travelled in. It had changed tremendously, almost unrecognizable if not for the still basically familiar console in the middle of the ship. 

It had changed, Rose realized, therefore He had changed. She instantly remembered the conversation she had had with Jack before he'd gone home to her original universe. He'd told her that the Doctor had regenerated. Although Jack hadn't spoken to him, he had seen a younger looking Doctor wearing a bow tie and suspenders. Jack had tried to catch up to the new Doctor, but failed to grab his attention. He only knew that this new version of the Time Lord had been traveling with a young pretty girl with ginger hair, when he watched them both enter the TARDIS and disappear. 

Rose swallowed as she called into the TARDIS, "Hello?"

Then he unexpectedly appeared in front of her, almost as if he himself had simply materialized. He was still tall, she noted as he stood there with his arms crossed, and still very thin. Not younger. _Much_ older. 

"Rose Tyler!" He grinned wide as he finally spoke. "You look exactly how I remember you."

"You... don't?" Rose was beginning to wonder if she was still asleep. Maybe this was all some strange dream. She hadn't overslept. She wasn't late for work. She was simply having a very peculiar dream. "Doctor?"

"Well who else were you expecting?" He seemed affronted. "Really, Rose, you may still be nice to look at - for a human - but I'm quite disappointed. I have to say I anticipated more from you. Haven't you been expecting me?"

"What? Why? Why would I be expectin'-"

"Rose! Look around you. Disturbance in the atmosphere didn't clue you in?" He pointed at the black clouds rumbling overhead. "I must say, I'm shocked that you didn't pick up on that bit. I do believe you're slipping, Rose."

"Oi! You've just bloody landed in an alternate universe - one YOU left me in ages ago - and all ya have to say to me is that 'm slippin'?" She was yelling angrily at him with absolutely no control over what she was saying. Her body was beginning to tremble, not as a result of the brisk wind, but from the myriad of emotions fighting for control. 

"Oh, dear. I am sorry, Rose, truly. It's this new me, I can be quite rude." She widened her eyes at him, as if to question that his rudeness was something new. "No really, I don't remember being this rude before. It came with the hair." He pointed to the short mostly grey hair on his head. "Oh! And the eyebrows! I have some incredible eyebrows now," he said as he began arching them up and down. 

"You. Are. Mad." Rose was half amused and half convinced he had actually finally gone completely insane. 

"Och, aye. I certainly am that," he grinned. 

They stood there silently for a few beats as she just stared at him, the reality of the situation beginning to penetrate her mind. This man was the Doctor. The Doctor and his TARDIS were in Pete's World. 

"And you're... _Scottish_." She began a fit of giggles, still unable to get herself under control. "Since when are ya Scottish?"

"That bit also came with the eyebrows," he sighed. 

"You've regenerated. How many times since..."

"Twice," he answered, both of them suddenly serious. 

"Twice." Rose took a deep steadying breath. A storm of emotions was brewing inside of her, ready to wreak havoc. "Right. So how long, then?"

"Centuries." His smile no longer reaching his eyes.

"And ya never," Rose choked back a sob, "ever came back for me? Ya never tried? In all that time, ya never even checked on me here?" Her voice began breaking and tears streaked down her face. 

At the sight of Rose Tyler beginning to cry, the Doctor finally stepped out of the TARDIS. He closed some of the distance between them, but stopped short of invading her personal space. 

"Rose, you knew I couldn't. It wasn't possible until now. Not until Jack slipped through."

"That was six bloody months ago!" She shouted, wrapping her arms around herself and hugging tightly. "It took ya six months to get up the nerve to come here? Why? Why now?"

"Yes it's been six months since Jack left you," he returned just as loudly, frustration building, "but he only just found me three days ago! Time difference, remember?" 

Rose didn't speak. She began processing what he had said, realizing it was true. The Doctor had come through the void just as soon as he could, as soon as he'd heard about the breach between worlds. He really had come back for her. She was too stunned to say a word, shaking her head at how a Time Lord could possibly have such terrible timing. Suddenly, she stopped hugging herself, visibly deflating, and her hands dropped to her sides. At that moment, a warm hand entwined itself with her chilled fingers. 

_Peter._

"Rose?" Peter looked at the Doctor, a little confused by what he had interrupted. He recognized the TARDIS from Rose's stories of the blue box, but the man looked nothing like he had expected. He turned back to Rose. "Ye okay, love? I heard ye shouting at this bloke and-"

"Oh, **he's** Scottish," the Doctor laughed, pointing at Peter. "The boyfriend is Scottish. Of course, that all makes perfect sense now doesn't it? I mean your boyfriend is Scottish and now I'm Scottish. Well, at least I don't sound like him. He is _terribly_ Scottish, I'm only-"

"Doctor!" Rose interrupted him, unable to suppress a grin. He still rambled. She had always missed that. "This is Peter Carlisle. We're engaged... to be married."

"Well sure you are, what else would you be engaged in? No. Don't answer that."

"Peter, this is the Doctor. He's the one I've told ya about."

Peter reached out for the Doctor's hand, still having a tight grip on Rose's with his other one. The Doctor looked Peter up and down appraisingly before finally shaking his hand. 

"Hello, Peter, it's nice to finally meet you. Jack has told me quite a lot about you. Except that you were Scottish, he failed to mention that. I suppose he took a fair amount of pleasure in leaving out that bit."

"I'm sure he did," Peter grinned. He wasn't sure if the man was genuinely pleased to meet him, or if he was just being polite. "And how is our mate Jack doing?"

"Well I've only seen him briefly over the past couple of days. Been busy saving the universes and that, you know," the Doctor said, obviously puffing up a bit. 

"Aye, of course ye have. Et's what ye do best, I'm told."

"Oh, it's nice to know Rose remembers me so _fondly._ " The Doctor seemed to put more emphasis on that last word than necessary. 

"I'm sure et is." Peter had a bit of an edge to his voice that Rose noticed immediately. 

"Doctor, ya still haven't told me why you're here," she said. 

The Doctor sobered, looking from Peter to Rose. He glanced down at their linked hands and blinked, then looked back at Rose with a big grin. It was useless. The grin didn't fool her in the least. He may not be _her_ Doctor but he was still the Doctor, and Rose knew him. She saw calculation in his eyes, then regret, followed by resignation. 

"Don't. Just... don't." She pleaded. 

"What?"

"Ya know exactly what, Doctor. Don't lie to me. Not now. What's happened? Is it Jack? Something's wrong, I see it in your eyes."

His false grin melted into a sad smile. 

"Of course you do, Rose Tyler," he said proudly. "Because you're brilliant. You will always be brilliant."

"So what then?"

"Nothing's wrong, Rose. Everything is... _fantastic._ I just had to see it for myself." 

"What d'ya mean?"

"Jack told me you were happy, truly happy. I just had to be sure, Rose. I had to see it with my own eyes and tell you a proper goodbye before I save all of humanity." He began to struggle against tears. "I'm closing the breach. For good. I mean it this time. I've been working with Jack and his team and we found the fissures that were somehow missed before. This is the very last hole I've popped through before we seal everything tight. My only chance to make sure you didn't want to come home."

Peter felt Rose's hand flex in his and before he could react, she dropped his hand and threw both arms around the Doctor's neck. Suddenly he couldn't breathe, he felt as if he was flailing underwater, unable to come up for air. What exactly had just happened here?

"I've missed you," Rose said through tears, "I'll always miss you, Doctor."

"Rose," the Doctor said as he awkwardly patted her back with one hand, "I don't really do the hugging anymore. And I think your boyfriend is having a heart attack."

Rose let go and quickly turned around to see Peter, face drained of all its colour, his eyes wide with confusion. 

"Peter? Are you okay?"

"Okay? Am I... okay?" Each word was punctuated with a gulp for air. "What... I thought... Ye just scared the bloomin' shite outta me, Rose!" He finally calmed his breathing enough to let his irritation take over. 

"Well you'd better get used to it, mate. She's like no one you've ever met. And judging from her pheromones, you're stuck with her for a long time." The Doctor continued to talk even after Peter pulled Rose to him and covered her mouth with his. The two of them whispering words of love and _never gonna leave yous_ between kisses. "A very, very long time. I'd say forever, but let's be honest, my forever and your forever aren't exactly the same thing..." 

The Doctor's words trailed off, no one else was listening and - believe it or not - sometimes even he grew tired of hearing the sound of his own voice. He cleared his throat awkwardly, their public displays of affection finally becoming too much for him to bear. Not only was the concept of the human need for all of that touchy feely nonsense completely lost on him, but seeing Rose in another man's arms was surprisingly unnerving. To his own amazement, after centuries of living his life without her, there was apparently still a tiny part of his former self that longed for a life with Rose Tyler. An inkling of his tenth incarnation that had remained dormant within him for Rassilon knows how long had been awakened at the sight of her and was now drowning in tears. 

"Alright then." He cleared his throat again, this time choking down an unwanted lump of emotion. "I'll just be on my way now," he said, turning back toward the TARDIS, not waiting to be noticed by the lovers who were still consumed with each other's very existence. 

"Doctor! Wait!" 

Rose's voice immediately brought a smile to the Doctor's face and he obeyed, stopping and looking over his shoulder at her as he reached the TARDIS door. 

"Ya hafta go now? I mean, ya can't stay for a bit... maybe come to the hub with us and have some tea or somethin'?" Rose knew the answer before the question was asked, but she just didn't want to see him go. This was finally an actual goodbye from him and this time, she knew with every fiber of her being, it would be forever. 

"No. I'm sorry, Rose," he replied, his smile fading. "I must be on my way. Worlds to save, you know."

"Yeah," she smiled wistfully, "I know."

"Peter," the Doctor turned his attention to the man whose hand was once again entwined with Rose's, "take care of our Rose, would you? Always jeopardy friendly, this one."

"Aye, with pleasure." Peter let go of Rose's hand and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side, and Rose wrapped both arms around him in response. "As long as my heart beats," he added, looking down at Rose and pressing his lips to the side of her head. 

Rose smiled up at Peter, hugging him tightly. 

"Thank you, Doctor," she began, looking back in his direction. But she was too late. The Doctor had already slipped inside the TARDIS and closed the door behind him. A moment later, the TARDIS blinked out of sight, it's familiar wails filling Rose's mind for the last time. 

oOo

Rose sank down onto the sofa in her office, fiddling with her earring as she thought about her bizarre morning. She had only been around the corner from the Hub when her unexpected visitor had materialized, so there wasn't much of a walk to work as she and Peter continued on after the blue box was gone. They had walked the short distance in silence, hands clasped tightly together, neither of them knowing how to begin unraveling the tangle of emotions they were feeling. Upon reaching the Hub and making their way to her office, Rose had dissolved into a mess of sobs while Peter held her in his arms. Still, he said nothing aside from quiet words of comfort, simply allowing her to have a good cry. 

Now it was half noon and Rose was left alone with her thoughts while Peter had gone to grab lunch for the two of them at the chippy.  
She was replaying every word the Doctor had spoken, every upward curl of his lips, every quirk of his new eyebrows. It was a strange feeling to finally be reunited with the person she once loved and find him wearing an unfamiliar face; a transformation she hadn't even been there to see. The Doctor was a new man now, centuries older, - _centuries!_ \- and he had finally come back for her. Rose felt hot tears begin to pool in her eyes again as a new wave of guilt washed over her. Once upon a time, she had promised him her forever and now she had broken that promise. The Doctor had finally returned to take her home, but it was too late. Rose had made _this_ world her home now and nothing could separate her from Peter... not even all of time and space. 

"There's something delicious and hot in here waitin' for ye," Peter said as he walked past the open door to Rose's office and into the break room, arms full of food. "And he's got a packet of chips too," he joked. 

Rose giggled as she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and stood from the sofa. Peter popped his head inside her door just as she was about to step through it, bringing their faces just inches apart. He immediately noticed her red rimmed eyes and his smile melted into a frown. 

"Rose," he sighed. 

"'M fine," she lied and forced a smile, reaching her hand up to rub Peter's stubble covered cheek.

"Yer obviously _not_ fine." He covered her hand with his and turned to place a kiss on her palm. "Talk tae me, Rose. I'm trying very hard no tae worry, but ye keep crying and I need tae know what yer thinking."

Rose wrestled with her thoughts. How daft had she been to break down and cry on her boyfriend's shoulder about another bloke? Of course Peter was concerned, and rightly so, but her tears were difficult to explain. The fact was, even though she no longer had the burning desire to travel with the Doctor, - especially not without Peter - she was still broken hearted to know she would never see him again. _Never ever_. 

"'M just a bit sad, that's all." Rose leaned into Peter, pressing her cheek against his chest, and they wrapped their arms around each other. "Goodbyes are always sad, yeah?"

"Aye." He placed a kiss on top of her head and squeezed her body against him. "Can I ask ye something?"

"Hmmm?" She stretched up on tiptoes to kiss the freckle of a mole on Peter's neck. All of a sudden, his body went rigid and she saw his Adam's apple jump as he swallowed hard. Rose loosened her arms around his waist and pulled away from him slightly, affording herself a good look at his face now losing its colour. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Do ye regret it?" His voice faltered and he cleared his throat. "Are ye sorry ye didnae go with him?"

"Honestly?" Rose looked directly into his dark brown eyes. Peter was trying to school his features, but his eyes always betrayed him. He was afraid of what her answer might be. 

"Yes, Rose, honestly." He braced himself, trying not to hold his breath, and spoke each word slowly. "Are you sorry?"

"A bit, yeah. But not for me, 'm sorry for the Doctor." She could tell by his expression that Peter was confused, but he said nothing. "He was by 'imself, no one travelin' in the TARDIS with 'im for who knows how long. He's no good when he's alone."

"But... yer nae-"

"No. 'M not," she interrupted. "'M sorry that I waited so long for a proper goodbye from the Doctor, and then it wasn't even from a man I recognized. And 'm sorry that I'll never see 'im again and my mind was reelin' so fast that I didn't even have a proper conversation with 'im. I don't know where he's been or how many others he's lost since..."

Her words trailed off as she fought against tears for what felt like the millionth time today. Strands of hair had fallen from her ponytail and hung around her face. Peter tucked them behind her ear as he listened. 

"And most of all, 'm sorry that I broke a promise I made a long time ago. But 'm not sorry that 'm _here_. With _you_ ," she sniffled. "It's the only thing 'm sure of right now."

Peter wiped away a single tear that managed to escape and leave a wet trail from Rose's eye to just below the apple of her cheek. He placed a kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger there as he whispered "I love you" against her skin. He hated to see her upset, his heart ached every time she cried, but he was relieved all the same.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since the last update. I've had a lot of things going on in my personal life and I just have not been in the right frame of mind for writing. Please try to have patience with me. I hope to update much sooner with the next chapter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! (this chapter is just a little tiny bit NSFW... just barely)

Peter lay awake in bed with Rose's naked body half draped across him. He stared at the ceiling while absently tracing his fingers up and down the spine of her bare back. It had been three full weeks since their encounter with the Doctor and however brief those moments were, the fissure they had left in Peter's self assurance had been splintering more with every passing moment. He had successfully tamped down his insecurities for the first several days of Rose's unpredictable spells of tears. Whether he found her crying in the loo at the Hub or waking in the middle of the night to the sound of her sobbing in bed next to him, Peter had simply held her until the moment passed without asking questions. 

When Rose and Peter had told Mickey about their visit from the Doctor, he had likened it to the death of an older brother he'd never had. Mickey had dissolved into tears, albeit fewer tears than had escaped Rose's eyes, by the time it was all over. Seeing this reaction from both of them, Peter tried to convince himself that Rose was also mourning the Doctor instead of simply rueing the day she turned down his invitation to leave this world behind. So for nearly a week afterward, Peter had forced himself to be the understanding boyfriend, allowing her time to grieve. 

But unfortunately, his compassion had begun to wane. Although Rose was no longer bursting into tears at random times throughout the day, she was still thinking about _him_ \- and far too often. Peter could feel the jealousy and self doubt boil higher and higher within him every time he caught Rose with that faraway look on her face. Making matters worse was her vehement denial of having anything weighing on her mind when Peter would ask. He hated being so casually dismissed; it was insulting. 

More than that, he hated being lied to. Which is exactly what Peter had told Rose when they had begun tonight's row. It was just one of many rows that started with shouting and ended with shagging over the past couple of weeks. It seemed the only time they were _Peter and Rose_ lately was when he was buried deep inside of her, both of their minds too full of raw desire to care about anything else. Neither of them were naive enough to actually believe they could shag away their problems forever, but they had been making a valiant effort as of late. 

Tonight had been different; something had snapped. The unspoken tension that had been growing between them since the Doctor had left them standing on the wet pavement three weeks ago had finally found its breaking point - in the middle of crazed foreplay. 

Peter wasn't quite sure when their breathless apologies between licks, nips, and kisses changed from their routine atonement for the shouts they had exchanged to something far more heartfelt. In one beat of his pounding heart, he had gone from circling his tongue around Rose's taut nipple, to gathering her up in a strong embrace as they wept together. When they had both calmed enough to speak coherently, the two of them had shared their frustrations openly. Rose admitted that she was still sparing the occasional thought for the Doctor, but assured Peter again that she never once questioned her decision to stay here with him. In turn, Peter confessed that his jealousy had been getting the best of him and that he still struggled to understand why Rose was so racked with guilt for breaking a promise she had made to the Doctor years ago, and literally, a world away. 

After much conversation, the two of them satisfied with each other's reasons and explanations, they vowed to put talk of the Time Lord to rest. Peter assured Rose that there was no way the Doctor resented her for promising her forever to another man. He and Rose had been separated for centuries of his life, so surely the Doctor had come to terms with it by now. Seeing Peter's point, Rose agreed to let go of some of the guilt she was harboring, if not all. 

Their cuddles and caresses melted into passionate kisses and heavy petting, as they resumed their lovemaking. It was more intimate, more reverent, than any sexual encounter they'd had in weeks as the lovers came undone in each other's arms. 

Rose's sleeping form shifted against Peter's chest, pulling him from his thoughts and back to the present. 

"Mmm," she hummed sleepily and tightened her arm around his waist. "Love you."

"I love ye too, wee hen." Peter kissed the top of her tousled blonde head as Rose nuzzled against him, giggling at his favourite term of endearment for her. 

Peter had taken to calling her his "wee hen" months ago, much to Rose's dismay. She had begged him to call her anything else at first, suggesting the usual pet names - babe, love, sweetheart - but Peter refused. He finally told her that one thing he clearly remembered about his parents from when he was a small child was how his father would use the name for his mother when the man was feeling particularly flirtatious. 

Peter's mother had died when he was still very young and his memories of her were few and far between. "But I distinctly remember Da calling Mum his wee hen and giving her a slap on the arse now and again," he had told Rose, "I assure ye I mean it with the utmost affection," he had grinned and pulled her in for a breathtaking snog, making it impossible for Rose to argue further. 

Rose had simply smiled her patented tongue touched smile and said, "Fancy me fallin' for a bloomin' daft Scotsman." Then she had given Peter his own swat on the bum, a bit harder than what would be considered playful, resulting in him chasing her around their flat. By the time he had finally caught up to her, cornering her in their bedroom, Rose thwarted his plans of tickling her into submission by slowly removing her clothes. 

Peter had taken her roughly against their bedroom wall, not even bothering to completely undress. His jeans and pants pooled around his ankles as he drove his length deeper inside of her with every forward thrust. Rose had clung to him, her legs wrapped around his waist, sinking her nails and teeth into Peter's skin as he crashed into her faster and harder. 

Lost in the euphoria of her building orgasm, Rose had bitten down hard on his shoulder, causing Peter to scream out and his pace to stutter. "Oh shit! 'M sorry... are ya alr-" Rose had begun to apologize but her words were stopped short by Peter covering her mouth with his in a bruising kiss. 

He had then shifted his grip on her bum and began to pound into her with more urgency. "Do it again," he had said. And she did. "Harder," Peter had yelled as his cock drove farther into her depths, hitting her in just the right spot. Rose had continued to bite down with force as they both tumbled over the edge of pleasure into oblivion. 

The lovers had collapsed with each other on the floor, sated and exhausted. She had gingerly rubbed her fingers over the teeth marks which outlined a bruise that had already begun to turn a faint shade of purple. Peter then grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips, placing a kiss on the tips of her fingers. Then the corners of his mouth had curled up into a devilish smirk as he said, "A love bite... from my wee hen."

That had been the moment Rose decided she wanted nothing more than to be Peter Carlisle's "wee hen"; it wasn't without its perks. 

"G'nite," Rose smiled at the memory, placing a kiss on Peter's bare chest as she pulled the duvet further up around them. "You daft Scotsman."

"Aye, but just remember," Peter tilted her chin so that he could see her eyes, "I'm yer daft Scotsman. And I adore the arse off ye." He winked before kissing her goodnight. 

oOo

"Bloody hell," Mickey Smith slumped down in a chair in the Torchwood Cardiff Hub break room, pouring a splash into his cuppa and sliding the milk across the table to Peter. "I'm gonna go completely mental! I can't take much more of this shit."

Peter added milk to his tea, as well as a bit to a second mug for Rose, and simply nodded in agreement. 

"I mean, really though, we haven't had anything come through the rift in five full weeks." Mickey leaned back in his chair, raking his hand down his face. 

"Rose, come have some tea," Peter called out to her as she sat in her office, refreshing her emails for the hundredth time. He turned back to Mickey and shrugged, "Aye, it doesnae make any sense. Yer the professional here. What do ye think has happened?"

"I dunno, mate." Mickey took a cautious sip of his hot mug of tea. "But it's driving me spare."

"Hiya, boys." Rose smiled at Peter and Mickey as she reached for the mug of tea Peter had made for her. "Ta, love." She smiled at him, taking a sip and returning the mug to the table, and leaned in for a chaste kiss. 

"Now, that willnae do at all," Peter said as he pulled her down into his lap for a proper snog. He released her lips, just as Mickey began to protest their public displays of affection, and smiled lovingly at her. "How's yer day been? Any word from Pete about what's goin' on with the rift?"

"Nothing," she pouted. "No one can explain it. The rift's just...quiet, I s'pose."

Peter continued to study her face, tucking back a lock of her blonde hair and placing a kiss on her neck, just behind her ear. 

"Are ye feelin' okay?" 

"Yeah, 'm fine. Just bored outta my mind! There's gotta be somethin' out there," she whinged. "What about you lot? Find anythin' worth explorin'?"

"Nothin'," Mickey answered. "Not one single tiny disturbance on any of our readings. It's like the rift is completely closed off."

Rose rested her cheek against Peter's shoulder and snuggled comfortably in his lap as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. The three of them sat in silence for several moments, contemplating the sudden change in the rift's activity. There had been absolutely zero level of alien presence in Cardiff for over a month, and everyone at the Hub was at their wit's end. 

The first couple of weeks had been spent organizing and reorganizing all of the Hub's handwritten archives. For the two weeks that followed, everyone on staff spent their work days entering all of the information from those files into the computer database. By the end of their second week of data entry, the entire Torchwood team had well passed their fill of each other and needed a break.

Since there was no pressing work for them to do, Rose granted Tosh and Owen just that - a nice holiday from work. The two of them had been _sort of_ dating ever since the night Mickey had proposed to Martha, but neither of them spoke very freely about the budding relationship with their coworkers. Rose knew all of the gory details, of course, because Tosh had no other females to confide in; there was a lot she'd rather not have known. In an effort to take a break of her own from Tosh's constant play by play of her love life, Rose had suggested the two of them take the week off from work. Owen and Tosh had both accrued several paid days off they could use and, as far as Rose was concerned, there was no time like the present. 

What Rose had not anticipated, was the phone call she had received from Pete Tyler on Monday morning informing her that he would be transferring Ianto to the London Hub for a while. There was really no point, Pete explained, in having so many agents in Cardiff when there was absolutely no work to be done. Knowing he was right, she hadn't argued, but she also knew Pete had been trying to lure Ianto Jones to the Torchwood main offices in London for quite some time. She should have known he would pounce at the first chance to recruit Yan and Rose was sure to let her stepfather know she didn't appreciate his tactics in the least. As it was, she had no valid excuse to keep Ianto in Cardiff, so he had taken the rest of that day off to pack his things and left for London Tuesday morning. 

Now it was Friday, and Rose had spent the majority of her days at the Hub in solitude. Peter and Mickey had spent several hours each day either near the rift or at one of the other known alien hot spots on the outskirts of town. Their effort to record some minute trace of foreign activity had proved fruitless day after day; they heard not even a whisper. 

Having so much time on her hands, Rose had indeed formed a theory that may very well explain the sudden decline in rift activity. She had phoned Pete on his mobile and left a voice message, and followed that up with an urgent email explaining what she believed to be the cause. So far, she had received no response to either. 

"I'm tired of thinkin' about it," Mickey finally said, pushing his chair away from the table and standing. "I should check my emails, I guess." 

As soon as Mickey was out of the break room and sitting at his desk, out of sight, Peter's fingers found the hem of Rose's shirt and began snaking their way under it. 

"I thought he'd never leave," he whispered as he shifted Rose in his lap to straddle him. 

"Oi! Watcha doin'?" Rose tried to suppress a giggle as she swatted away his hands. 

"Well ye see, Miss Tyler, what I'm doin' is trying tae get past first base with this bonnie lass in my lap," he grinned, leaning in for a kiss. 

Rose gave in to his advances momentarily, throwing both arms around his neck, as Peter's tongue slid past her lips and began to explore her mouth. 

"Mmmm," she hummed, resting her forehead against his when they finally came up for air. "We need to stop. Mickey's just outside the door," Rose said quietly. 

"I dinna care." Peter spoke in equally hushed tones, to avoid being overheard. "Let's go hide in yer office for a while," he suggested as he began trailing wet kisses along her jawline and down her neck. 

"We can't. Seriously."

"Of course we can! Ye just have tae promise me ye'll be quiet."

"Me? You're the one who's always yellin' and gruntin'," she teased. 

"What? I grunt? I'll show ye a grunt, lass, just let me..." He moved his hands to make quick work of the button on Rose's black trousers but she quickly grabbed his hands and stopped him. 

"Peter, quit it." Rose glanced up at the opened door to the break room, realizing she had spoken loud enough for Mickey to hear her, and then she lowered her voice again. "I got my period this mornin', ya git."

"Oh, Rose," Peter whinged as his bottom lip stuck straight out in a full on pout. His hands dropped from her trouser button and he circled his arms back around her waist. "Damn yer female reproductive cycle. Et's no' fair that I get stiff every time ye walk into a room. I cannae control it!" 

Rose laughed aloud, abandoning all efforts to keep quiet. "You're a complete nutter!"

"Aye, but ye love me all the same." Peter kissed the tip of her nose. "There's just no shite tae do in this bloody place!" His voice grew louder with every word, punctuating his frustration. 

"I know!" Mickey yelled back in reply, "I'm gonna do my sodding nut in!" He stood from his desk chair and stepped back into the break room to rinse his now empty mug in the sink. "Honestly, Rose. I know you've got at least a couple of ideas, yeah?"

"I might," she admitted as she nervously fiddled with her earring. "I mean, I don't know really, but maybe... maybe I have one solid theory."

"Well, come on then! Out with it," Peter exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. "Dinna leave us in the dark, wee hen."

Rose slapped him playfully on the shoulder and turned back to Mickey. "I emailed Dad about it earlier, but I haven't heard back from him. It's the only explanation I can think of that makes any real sense."

"Would ya like to share it with the class, then?" Mickey sat back down at the table across from Peter and Rose. 

"Well, I think maybe it's so obvious we were overlookin' it... but, the Doctor." She felt Peter's arms around her tense at the mention of the Time Lord's name and she looked him in the eye, a silent plea for him to calm his nerves, before continuing, "Just hear me out, yeah?"

"Aye, go on then." Peter nodded and tried to relax, ignoring the tendrils of jealousy that moved through his veins when the Doctor's name passed through Rose's lips. 

"Well, he said he was closing the gaps, yeah? All of them. And properly this time. That was five weeks and three days ago and there's been absolutely nothin' happenin' with the rift for five solid weeks now. I think he actually did it. I think he sealed off the breach and the rift no longer exists."

"Bloody hell, Rose, you _are_ brilliant," Mickey grinned. "I think you're probably right. But, what's that mean for Torchwood?"

"I dunno, really. That's why I emailed Pete and left a message on his answer phone. I dunno what he'll say about it." She turned back to Peter. "What- I mean- do you think..."

"Aye. Et would make sense, I suppose." He stroked his hand up and down her arm, an unspoken apology for his immediate reaction, and Rose smiled. "Why don't ye go check yer email again, aye? And yer mobile. Maybe Pete has called or texted ye since we've been in here."

"Yeah, good idea." Rose pressed her lips to his. "I love you, Peter."

"Aye. And no one could blame ye for it," he grinned and kissed her again. "Now be gone with ye, hen." He joked and slapped her bum as she stood from his lap. 

Peter watched her leave the room, admiring the view and thinking to himself that he couldn't help but grow stiff every time Rose Tyler walked _out_ of a room as well. 

"Oi," Mickey interrupted Peter's ogling. "What was that all about?"

"I dinna know what yer on about, mate," Peter replied. 

"Yeah, course ya do. Things got all weird when rose mentioned the Doctor. What's goin' on then?" Mickey leaned back in his chair, waiting for Peter to answer. "Come on, I'm not as thick as you'd like to think, yeah?"

"Bloody hell, Mickey, I don't know," Peter sighed. "I'm nae suffering any sleepless nights over the bastart and neither is Rose... at least no' any more. But I dinna like to talk about him, aye?"

"You know there's nothin' to be jealous of, right?" Peter simply raised a questioning eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, mate, you're jealous," Mickey continued. "I'm just sayin' there's no good reason for it. He's gone. _Really gone_. Even if he popped back in tomorrow - which he can't do - he's still gone for her. And for me. He's not the man we knew anymore. He changes."

"I know, I know. I've heard all this shite from Rose and I-"

"No, Peter, ya heard it but ya didn't listen," Mickey interrupted. "She chose you and he's gone for good. She loves you, ya daft prick, don't cock it up."

"Who died and made Mickey Smith the bloody voice of reason?" Peter laughed and shook his head. "Honestly, I'm trying very hard no' tae make a right mess of things. But thanks for the kick in the arse, aye?"

"Any time, mate, I take pleasure in kickin' your skinny arse." 

"Oi! I'll be the only one kickin' his adorable Scottish arse, thank ya very much," Rose grinned as she poked her head into the room. "Got a text from Pete. He wants us in London tonight."

"Why all of us?" Mickey began to protest. 

"Not you, ya prat! Me and Peter. We've gotta leave off straight away so we can pack for the weekend. You, Mickey Smith, get to stay behind and keep an eye on Cardiff," she winked. "Aren't _you_ the lucky one?"


End file.
